Heel protector for shoes



Feb 14, 1939. w u 2 147324 HEEL PROTECTOR FOR SHOES Filed Sept. 9, 1937 Fig.1.

Thomas Waugh 2MM&W

Patented Feb. 14, 1939 ZJaLZZ -i UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIQE 2,147,224 HEEL PROTECTOR FOR SHOES Thomas Waugh, Gleasondale, Mass.

Application September 9, 1937, Serial No. 163,048

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a heel protector for attachment to the inside of the heel of the shoe and has for its function to protect the heel of the stocking of the wearer of the shoe from becoming worn by slippage occurring between the heel of the stocking and the lining of the shoe. The invention in some respects is an improvement upon that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,832,268, granted November 1'7, 1931.

The object of the present invention is to provide a very simple and compact form of device which will take up a minimum amount of space between the stocking and the shoe, which will remain in position under all conditions and which will insure slippage taking place only between its parts and not between it and the stocking of the wearer.

The nature and objects of the invention will appear more fully in the accompanying description and drawing and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shoe with the device of this invention shown in place.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of one form of the heel protector opened up and looking at the inner surface.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the inner layer employed.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the heel protector shown in Fig. 2 ready for insertion in the shoe with a portion of the friction flap broken away.

Fig. 5 is a view chiefly in vertical cross section showing the heel protector in position in the shoe.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of another form of the heel protector.

The heel protector illustrated comprises a thin, flexible strip of suitable material, such as a soft leather. This strip is folded upon itself at a median line I to present two similar flaps 2 and 3, preferably having a shape substantially as illustrated at 2 and 3 and of a size readily to fit against the inner surface of the heel portion of the shoe upper. The flap 3 constitutes a base member for attachment to the inside surface of the shoe to which it may be attached by cement or staples or any other suitable fastening means. The other flap 2 presents an outer friction surface of a type adapted for frictional engagement with the heel of the stocking of the wearer of the shoe. The soft leather employed presents the required friction surface in the flap 2 and this frictional character may be increased by perforations 4 in the leather.

The friction flap member 2 is so connected to the top of the base member as to permit it to slide vertically with respect to the base member when movement of the heel of the wearer takes place vertically with respect to the shoe. This slidable connection is preferably effected as illustrated at the fold connecting the friction flap 2 and the base member flap 3. The soft leather enables the friction flap to move vertically with respect to the base member at this folded portion.

In order to permit free sliding movement of the friction flap with respect to the base member, there is interposed between the two flaps a single layer of thin, flexible, but somewhat slippery material. Celluloid makes an excellent material for this purpose. Such a thin plate of Celluloid is illustrated separately at 5 in Fig. 3. This plate 5, being flexible, conforms with the two flaps 2 and 3 to the'curvature of the shoe and occupies but very little space. It is secured in place by being fastened by staples 6 or other suitable means to the base member 3 and thus allows the friction flap 2 readily to slide vertically with respect to the base flap.

It is important that the friction flap which has the sliding movement shall maintain its position both laterally and transversely with respect to the base flap during its sliding movement. Otherwise it might become twisted or misplaced in the shoe and be a source of discomfort to the wearer. The invention therefore provides for interlocking the two flaps against separation during the vertical sliding movement of the friction flap. In the preferred form illustrated, the base member has at its lower end a tab thereon and a horizontal slot cooperating with this tab is formed in the lower end of .the friction flap member. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, a tab 1 is formed on the lower end of the plate 5 which is secured to the base flap 3, and a slightly wider tab la is formed on the flap 3 and underlies the tab 1. This two ply tab passes through a slot 8 in the lower end of the friction flap. 2. In the construction shown in Fig. 6, the plate 9 of slippery material secured at [B to the base flap member terminates in a lower straight edge. In this construction the tab I2 is formed directly on the base flap member and projects from its lower edge H which is straight at each side of the tab I2 and close to the lower edge of the plate 9. The tab l2, being formed of the soft leather, is strengthened longitudinally so as to slide freely in the slot 13 of the friction flap member by means of a wire staple l4.

In both cases the tab on the base flap presents leather at its side edges so that as sliding movement takes place between it and the friction flap, there is no tendency to cut the ends of the slot in the friction flap while the smooth surface of the tab 1 or of the staple I4 insures free vertical relative sliding movement between the entire tab and the slot and thus constitutes an antifriction element.

It will thus be seen that the entire device presents a minimum thickness occupying little space in the shoe, that it insures sliding movement taking place only in a vertical direction betweenthe parts of the protector, and that the device always remains in place and no part of it can become mispositioned. The device thus prevents any friction from taking placebetween the back of the heel of the wearer and the shoe and therefore prevents blisters, saves wear on the stocking, and also prolongs the life of the shoe by preserving the lining and keeping the shoe in shape.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A stocking heel protector for a shoe comprising a base member for attachment to the inside of the heel of the shoe, a layer of thin, flexible, somewhat slippery material secured to the inner face of the base member, a flexible friction flap member adapted for frictional engagement with the heel of the stocking of the wearer of the shoe and vertically slidably connected to the top of the base member, the lower ends of the said members being separable from each other but interlocked during the sliding movement of the flap member to permit relative vertical sliding movement of said lower ends without separation thereof.

2. A stocking heel protector for a shoe comprising a base member for attachment to the inside of the heel of the shoe, 8. layer 01- thin, flexible, somewhat slippery material secured to the inner face of the base member, a flexible friction flap member adapted for frictional engagement with the heel of the stocking of the wearer of the shoe and vertically slidably connected to the top of the base member, a horizontal slot in the lower end of the flap member and a tab on the base member passing through said slot and preventing separation of the members during the sliding movement of the flap member.

3. A stocking heel protector for a shoe comprising a thin, flexible strip of material folded upon itself to present two similar flaps, one flap constituting a base member for attachment to the inside of the heel of the shoe with the fold at the top, the other flap having an outer friction surface adapted for frictional engagement with the heel of the stocking of the wearer of the shoe, the fold connecting the flaps permitting the friction flap to slide vertically with respect to the base flap, a layer of thin, flexible, somewhat slippery material secured to the inner face of the base member acting to allow free sliding movement of the friction flap thereon, the lower ends of the said flaps being separable from each other but interlocked during the sliding movement of the friction flap to permit relative vertical sliding movement of said lower ends without separation thereof.

4'. A stocking heel protector for a shoe comprising a thin, flexible strip of material folded upon itself to present two similar flaps, one flap constituting a base member for attachment to the inside of the heel of the shoe with the fold at the top, the other flap having an outer friction surface adapted for frictional engagement with the heel of the stocking of the wearer of the shoe, the fold connecting the flaps permitting the friction flap to slide vertically with respect to the base flap, a layer of thin, flexible, somewhat slippery material secured to the inner face of the base member acting to allow free sliding movement of the friction flap thereon, a horizontal slot in the lower end of the friction flap and a tab on the base member passing through said slot andpreventing separation of the flaps during the sliding movement of the friction flap.

5. A stocking heel protector as described in I claim 4 in which the said layer of thin, flexible,

somewhat slippery material presents a depending tab overlying and narrower than the tab on the base member.

6. A stocking heel protector as described in claim 4 together with an antifriction element overlying the middle of said tab to insure free vertical movement of the tab in the slot.

THOMAS WAUGH. 

